Alternative Housing

The goal is to work out alternatives to provide housing for international trainees in cooperation with »Die Zeiglerschen«. The focus of the project is the conception of new types of living, the internal and external communication of those as well as the potential scaling possibilities.

Die alte Krankheit des Pflegenotstandes

»Nursing crisis« as a term is by no means a young political buzzword. Since the 1960s, debates have arisen over the lack of care for old and sick people in Germany. More people than today will need care, so more helpers are needed automatically than is already the case. By 2050, the number of people in need of care will rise from 2.5 to 4.7 million. By contrast, 61% of nurses' positions are already vacant today. In addition, tomorrow's skilled workers are lacking because the birth rate in Germany is relapsing. According to forecasts, between 150 000 and 370 000 additional skilled workers will be needed by 2025.

International specialists and trainees

A method that has been used for many years is the recruitment of foreign skilled workers and apprentices. Foreign skilled workers often have little job prospects in their home country and hope for a better future in Germany. Last year, 700,000 new jobs were filled by 370,000 foreign professionals.

Azubi Journey

The project development focuses on the question of enabling intercultural coexistence and suitable housing. The focus of living together are international trainees. However, no exclusion of German trainees and thus the risk of envy may arise.

How is intercultural coexistence created?

It is important to know the requirements and needs of both parties in order for the Zieglerschen to be able to provide effective placement work. The top findings from our qualitative interviews show a high potential for the combination of international trainees and older and sometimes needy housing providers. Both sides would benefit from a possible coexistence. Furthermore, the Zieglerschen by their nursing activities have a great point of contact with this group of housing providers, which could be used for alternative living concepts. For these reasons, the following elaboration is limited to older and partially needy housing providers.

Question Zero

»A service that includes housing and improving the image of international trainees as well as the internal organization of the Zieglerschen.«

The housing market in Germany is empty! We have to look for new ways of finding a home. The result is a housing process containing three alternative living concepts.

Concept 01 - Living for help

Presentation - Living for help offers apprentices cost-effective living space. For this they help the living partner in the household. The help that is agreed between housing provider and trainee can affect all areas of daily life. They help, for example, in the home or garden, accompany them on medical visits or go for a walk together.

User story - 71-year-old Hans Schuhmann is single. He often feels alone in his big flat on his own, which has plenty of room.

"I had free space and wanted to breathe life into my apartment." - Hans Schumann, Senior

In the same apartment lives his partner Elma, who completed a training as a nurse in Germany. Just over 20 square meters, her room is large. For her room Elma pays a small amount. Instead, it helps in everyday life - one hour per month per square meter of living space.

"I have my privacy, even visiting friends is no problem. At the same time there is always someone to talk to. "- Elma Dnan, International Trainee

The project housing for help, helped them to get in touch with each other . At a joint meeting, Hans and Elma met. In the first place, the interpersonal must vote. At Hans and Elma, the chemistry was right at the start. In addition, it clarifies in what context help is sought and offered.

Field report - The reference project "Housing for help", which is offered to students by various student organizations, shows that residential communities between older people and students can succeed.

The evaluation report of the University of Cologne, which has provided scientific support for the project since 2009, shows just how successful housing exchanges between students and senior citizens are. An excerpt from the report shows that 81 residential partnerships were signed in 2017. Since the beginning of housing for help in 2009, a total of 583 residential partnerships have been closed.

Concept 02 - Living in grandma's room

Presentation - When moving to a nursing home, those involved are often faced with the emotional and financial question of what happens to their own home. Many find it difficult to give up the home or house right away, but they are almost forced to pay the cost of care. Living in grandma's room supports the decision-making process, in which the vacant living space can be occupied by trainees. The already furnished living space is maintained and the care costs can be reduced.

User Story - The 82-year-old Elsa Zimmer has been living alone in her large apartment since the departure of her children and her deceased husband. Due to her daily age-related symptoms and her terminal dementia, her everyday life is becoming increasingly difficult and she depends on daily help. Moving to a nursing home is the best solution. But the question comes up with what happens to your own home.

I associate so many fond memories with my apartment - a memento I do not want to give up.

Amar and Ekrem, both of whom are trained as carers in Germany, are looking forward to an apartment that has already been furnished. With all the costs, it is often difficult to set up a new apartment and raise money for furniture. Together they move to the apartment of Elsa. She is happy to be able to receive her flat.

I can not afford to buy my own furniture because I want to send part of my earnings to my family.

Concept 03 - Optimization of Housing Finding

In order for a successful search for a flat to succeed, it is important not only to showcase alternative housing concepts, but also to optimize the conventional housing process and integrate the new concepts into these. In four steps, the trainee, with the help of the facility manager, arrives at a financially viable and conflict-free apartment. The persons involved in the process are the apprentice, the facility manager and the landlord.

Housing definition - In the definition of a flat, the trainee must be included. Questions about the apartment wishes of the trainees or which living concepts they can even imagine are clarified here. This results in an individually tailored housing profile. Furthermore, new living concepts can be scanned with the help of an interview guide.

During the preparation year in their respective home country, the future trainees create a kind of application profile with the help of the Zieglerschen. Trainees thus have the opportunity to introduce themselves in advance possible housing providers, so that they can gain a first impression. The personal history, hobbies and interests should be in the foreground here.

Housing Search - With the help of the housing profile mentioned above, the facility manager can search for housing and new potential housing provider. Within the search, in addition to the conventional ways, new opportunities to find suitable apartments must be pointed out and taken. The aim is primarily to draw attention to alternative living concepts and educate them and to gain the trust of new housing providers.

In addition, questions such as how to extend the process to other social providers, which Zieglersche can become part of current housing portals or how they can prevail over housing portals in the housing market, are answered.

The following chart shows ways of communication as well as potential housing providers. The respective relevance for the corresponding target group is hierarchically colored.

Housing Advice - Alternative housing concepts can be tailored and individually adapted to the personal advice of the property owner. In order for a living partnership to succeed, personal exchange and getting to know one another is of great importance. In the context of "living on probation", both the landlord and the apprentice have the opportunity to sense the possible coexistence. In the event of mutual consent, an individual tenancy agreement will be set up jointly with the Zieglersche. In addition, further questions and needs can be clarified and a rule plan can be drawn up.

Housing support - The housing finding process should be understood as a holistic service. From the beginning, Ziegler's two parties are on hand.

Should complications, questions or conflicts arise within the residential partnership and between the lessor and the apprentice, the Zieglerschen are always available. They take responsibility and try to find solutions together as an advisory body.

ups ... Here should be a video

Internal communication

The focus of the semester project is to give the Zieglerschen the best opportunities to initiate such a pilot project. An important first step in this is to ensure communication within the Zieglerschen.

The communication material here consists of a short explanatory video (see beginning of page), which clarifies the problem as well as the measures easily and quickly.

This is supported by a website that highlights the key points again. Content is thus the video itself, the explanation of the alternative concepts and the detailed process of the classical housing finding. This shows the current steps, explicit problem areas as well as solution approaches. Afterwards, the viewer can get in touch with the lead coordinator and become part of the process itself.

External communication

If the Zieglerschen stand together behind the idea, the project is taken to the outside. We are looking for partners, especially potential housing providers.

For this purpose, a flyer for each of the alternative concepts was developed. These represent the measures with the highest benefit per effort ratio. They can be presented to potential tenants in personal interviews. The topic is explained and the viewer is informed about the alternative concepts. The flyer itself includes personal content, such as quotes and testimonials from trainees and landlords, who were or are already in one of the unusual living situations.

The centerpiece is a inlay, an inlaid paper that introduces the international apprentices. It shows the current trainees who are looking for an apartment. A brief portrait informs about them and increases the familiarity and affection of potential tenants. This is extremely important, as Germans are often preferred in the housing search. The inlay is available as a template and can thus be filled with current data every year and depending on the location.

The next steps of the Zieglerschen

The solutions described are a first step in order to provide more space for international apprentices. The next steps of the Zieglerschen should now be:

Within the Zieglerschen the relevance of the living space finding should be increasingly communicated